US model Ashley Graham at the 2018 CFDA Fashion awards June 4, 2018 at The Brooklyn Museum in New York. Image: AFP/Angela Weiss

US fashion group calls for more diversity in model size

Agence France-Presse / 05:45 PM January 07, 2019

US model Ashley Graham at the 2018 CFDA Fashion awards June 4, 2018 at The Brooklyn Museum in New York. Image: AFP/Angela Weiss

A trade group representing hundreds of America’s designers has called on the fashion industry to showcase women of greater size diversity, such as plus-size models Ashley Graham and Candice Huffine.

Graham, of Nebraska, in 2016 became the first plus-size model to make the cover of “Sports Illustrated”. She also appeared on the cover of “Vogue”, helping to break down barriers in the notoriously snooty fashion world.

“We are beginning to see signs of fashion moving in the right direction,” Marc Karimzadeh and Nicky Campbell wrote on the website of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), which says it represents more than 500 men’s and women’s designers as well as jewelry and accessory designers.

“Designers such as Michael Kors and Christian Siriano are casting models that defy tradition,” they said in a reference to the fashion world’s longstanding preference for slimness.

“Body Positivity is important in fashion and we want to see more designers and companies embrace this in 2019,” the CFDA communication officials wrote.

A movement to recognize alternate body types started in 2017 at New York Fashion Week, with runway shows by Prabal Gurung, Christian Siriano and Michael Kors. CC